NAC Breda find successor to sacked Hoefkens at lightning speed

Rick Kruys is NAC Breda's new head coach, the Keuken Kampioen Divisie club announced on Tuesday. The Utrecht native has signed a two-year contract at the Rat Verlegh Stadion and will lead training for the first time on Wednesday.

"Out of several candidates, we immediately went all in for Rick Kruys. He knows what it means to compete for honours in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie. Rick knows our clear ambition and wants to get to work on it straight away," technical director Peter Maas explained on the club website.

"I am genuinely proud to be NAC's coach," Kruys said after his appointment in Breda. "Everyone knows how the club are experienced in the city and by the supporters. That suits me as well. It is my job to get to work immediately with the technical staff and the playing squad. The first match is already coming up on Friday, but that is something I can only look forward to."

Kruys, 41, led FC Volendam to the Vriendenloterij Eredivisie in 2025. The adventure lasted only one season, with the club relegated after losing to Willem II on penalties in the play-off final.

Before taking the NAC job, he worked as interim and assistant coach at FC Utrecht and also took charge of VVV-Venlo. He reached the Keuken Kampioen Play-Offs with the Limburg club.

"As a player, Kruys was a highly valued figure in Utrecht for many years. He was also that at FC Volendam, Excelsior Rotterdam and Swedish side Malmö FF," the NAC website reads.

Kruys replaces Carl Hoefkens, who was sacked on Monday. "There was an extensive evaluation with Hoefkens this summer. Unfortunately, several points for improvement from that evaluation were not realised, which has left NAC feeling compelled to take this step now," was the reason given.